Soquel alum sweeps honors at SF State

JONDI GUMZ - Sentinel staff writer

Posted:
05/21/2008 01:32:19 AM PDT

Andrew Hines didn't see much point to high school. So the Soquel resident started his own business, using computer technology he developed to design surfboards, which led to a job with a competitor. After the company went bust, he enrolled in college at age 19 -- and discovered a love for learning.

He has been chosen as the most outstanding graduate of the College of Business at San Francisco State University.

Of the top eight graduates at San Francisco State this year, he has been chosen to speak at Saturday's commencement ceremony, where a record 8,275 degrees will be awarded.

"I have never seen such a talented student in 20 years," said professor Katy Azoury, who wouldn't miss Hines' graduation even though she is on sabbatical. "I expect he is going to do some big things."

Two words explain what motivated him: Decision science.

Also known as operations research, it's the field where mathematical methods are used to quantify and solve problems relating to the allocation of scarce resources.

Decision science is why airline seats -- or hotel rooms -- bought at different times have different prices.

"In any system where quantity is important, you apply decision science," said Hines.

The systems are "crushingly" complex he added, giving an example at Kellogg, the cereal company, which took into account 700,000 variables and more than a million equations to optimize its resources.

Advertisement

A similar approach could be used to study the use of corn for fuel as well as food, or finding a better solution than trashing outdated computers and cell phones.

Those unsolved problems are why Hines turned down a tempting job offer at Cisco, where he was an intern analyst, and accepted a full scholarship to Stanford University to earn a doctorate.

With further study in decision science, he felt he could develop the mastery needed to deal with waste management problems that have eluded remedy.

"I didn't see that as possible if I continued working at Cisco," he said.

Those who know Hines talk about his work ethic and his creativity. Assign a paper to read, and he would read 15 papers. Assign a project, and he would create something several dimensions bigger than his classmates.

Too many interesting courses? He petitioned to exceed the limit. No group for students in his major? He created one, set up a Web site, and wrote and narrated a three-minute promotional video on YouTube.

"He doesn't do anything halfway," said professor Vijay Mehrotra, faculty adviser to the student group. He noted Hines' curiosity about what happens to Cisco's routers at the end of their useful life.

"It's a problem that has been sitting there a long time," Mehrotra said. "None of my graduate students ever thought about it."

Along with his interest in problem-solving, Hines also is a skillful writer. Here's the title of one item he produced last year: "The Life-or-Death Importance of Data Analysis."

Todd Lappin, formerly of CNET Networks, which published Hines' blog posts on business, said he has "an uncommon ability to translate complex concepts and arcane theories into lively, readable prose."

So what will Hines tell fellow grads? Never stop learning.

It's a message he has taken to heart.

Andrew Hines

Age: 22
Education: San Francisco State University, major in decision sciences, 2008; Soquel High School
Accomplishments: SFSU student commencement speaker; chosen by SFSU College of Business as 'undergraduate hood recipient,' founder and president of Decision Sciences Student Association, tutor, founder of Apex Precision Surfboards in Soquel.
Parents: Robert Hines, a design engineer, and Ann Hines, a marriage and family therapist, of Soquel.
Quote: 'I really believe our success is going to be determined by how well we continue learning."